Customer Reviews

Rawhide: Season Three, Vol. 1

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The greatest western there has ever been or will ever be is Rawhide!
Outstanding western series! Keep them coming Paramount! We are loving it! It's true that Gil and Rowdy rule and Rawhide is #1!

episodes from the first half of Season 3
Season 3, Episode 1: Incident at Rojo Canyon
Season 3, Episode 2: Incident of the Challenge
Season 3, Episode 3: Incident at Dragoon Crossing
Season 3, Episode 4: Incident of the Night Visitor
Season 3, Episode 5: Incident of the Slavemaster
Season 3, Episode 6: Incident on the Road to Yesterday
Season 3, Episode 7: Incident at Superstition Prairie
Season 3, Episode 8: Incident at Poco Tiempo
Season 3, Episode 9: Incident of the Captive
Season 3, Episode 10: Incident of the Buffalo Soldier
Season 3, Episode 11: Incident of the Broken Word
Season 3, Episode 12: Incident at the Top of the World
Season 3, Episode 13: Incident Near the Promised Land
Season 3, Episode 14: Incident of the Big Blowout
Season 3, Episode 15: Incident of the Fish Out of Water

All episdoes are outstanding!
After years of waiting and the cruel betrayal of Columbia House, who had started making DVDs available in 2003, uncut and in series order but then abruptly stopped August 2004, Parmount has come to the rescue! Now in Paramount's capable hands, we are finally making real progress!
Paramount has released more episodes than anyone else to date, even more than Columbia House who had released dozens of VHS tapes(not in episode order). Eric Fleming is amazing as Gil Favor in this seris, there's no one else like him. Rowdy is also incredible in this series. The details of the old west in this series are fantastic. They don't make anything like it nowadays and we'll probably never see anything like it again.
Thank you Paramount!

Here's a great editorial review for Rawhide below

Like anyone growing up in the late fifties and early sixties I watched as much television as possible. Remember that this was the era of the eleven inch, black and white screen, the single three inch speaker and the universal remote was the youngest family member who had to get up to turn the knobs. This was also the golden years of television. The series that were around back then created the genres that are still around decades later. There was also something special about TV back then, it was the era of the western. Every single boy had a cowboy hat, boots and play six shooter. Even the girls refused to be left out and clamored for a fringe skirt cowgirl outfit and hat. The vast majority of television programming was dedicated to the American old west. Every network, all three of them, filled their schedules with one variation of the theme after another. Most of those series are now only a small footnote in the history of television. Several remain today as cult classics and the undisputed leaders in this field. After `Gunsmoke' one TV western still stands above the rest `Rawhide'. This was `THE' show to watch back then. We kids would put on our cowboy gear, make the coffee table into a covered wagon and sit there mesmerized by the action. This is more than an old television show; for many of us this is a piece of our personal history.
The folks over at Paramount Pictures have the most incredible vault of classic television series imaginable. Anybody would love to be able to sit there for a month or two watching the myriad of shows they have on tap. Since this is not a likely prospect it is very fortunate that Paramount has been in a sharing mood. Lately they have been bringing out DVD set after set of series from these golden years. Now they have the second volume of the second season and like the previous ones, it is fantastic. The thing about `Rawhide' is it may have been one of the most famous television westerns but it was not very typical of the genre. Most westerns had the required action. There were good guys with white hats and bad one wearing black and the Native Americans, `Indians' back then, where rarely more than savages. Rawhide took a different slant. It was a dramatic series that just happened to be set in the old west. The six-shooter was there but not as important as the moral and emotional dilemmas the characters faced each week. The stories were centered on the characters over mindless action. It was possible to do this back then. Now so much of television has degenerated into mindless pap that it is easy to forget just how powerful this medium is. In those days everything was new and the studios were willing to take a chance. Rawhide stands the test of time because it dared to be different. So bring in the youngsters and let them see television the way it was meant to be. If they complain just make them stand behind the TV holding a set of rabbit ear antennas like we had to.
The premise of the series is elegant in its simplicity following the lives a group of cowboys working on a cattle drive. Many westerns showed cowboys riding around, shooing cattle now and again but it always felt like the cowpokes really didn't have a whole lot to do. This series depicted the arduous struggle to move a heard of cattle from one location to another. It was a daily hardship battling the weather, rustlers, the cattle and even each other. The drama of the series came organically from the realism of the characters and stories. These were the kind of men that built the west. At the head of the chain of command is Gil Favor (Eric Fleming), the trail boss. He is the one in command of the drovers and support staff on the drive. He is a man who has been around and seen it all. Although he is grizzled and tough he is also fair. His right hand man is Rowdy Yates (Clint Eastwood), the ramrod. It is up to him to work along side the men making sure they do things right. While the men keep the cattle in line it is up to Rowdy to keep them moving in the right direction. Also in constant attendance is Wishbone (Paul Brinegar) the camp cook. He you are responsible for providing a group of hungry cowboys with chow you have to be ready for just about anything. He depends on his assistant Mushy (James Murdock). One of the senior wranglers is Hey Soos (Robert Cabal) he is not a stranger to getting into trouble. Usually there to scout out the land ahead is Pete Nolan (Sheb Wooley).
This series doesn't look or feel like a television show at all. It is more like short, 50 minute, movies. The production quality here is spectacular. There is more emphasis on the plot than action. The fight scenes are just a small part of the series and this set it apart from the large pack of westerns back then. Life on a long cattle drive was shown in a realistic fashion. On such a trek boredom was the real enemy. Cowpokes looking for some excitement on their down time would head off to the nearest town and typically get into some mess or another. There are also plenty of slice of life shots. In one the men side around the chuck wagon, the center of cattle drive society, and grab a snack, mend their clothes, get in a snooze or tend to their saddles. These quite times were usually disrupted by some form of mayhem. Either it is a group of cattle rustlers out to steal the heard or an Indiana attack that forces the cowboys into action. Each episode was titles `Incident at ...' which is extremely fitting. These stories are notable incidents on an otherwise routine cattle drive.
Every episode begins with Gil waxing philosophically about some aspect of his line of work. Whether it is how the good Lord swells a little stream so it takes days to cross or the economics of bringing in the heard on time and in sellable shape Gil gets to show off his deeper side. This was also the series that made a star out of Clint Eastwood. He is more than an actor; he is a true renaissance man who has achieved fame as an actor, director, jazz musician, composer and even a politician. This is where it all began for him. He could stare down the meanest bad guy with a single stare and if necessary back it up with his six-shooter. Also gaining a good deal of fame here was the singer of the theme song, Frankie Lane. This song has lived on long after the series was cancelled and is known throughout the world.
Paramount certainly took care of the original elements of this series. The black and white full screen video is incredibly clear. There is a little speck every so often but over all the video is excellent. This is better than I remember the show ever being. the Dolby 2.0 mono is clear and without flaw. These episodes are completely re-mastered and it shows. Typical of an older television set for Paramount there are no extras included. That really doesn't matter here; the series is a great buy on its own. This is a must have for everyone that appreciates quality television.


And here's another good editorial review.

More often than not, Rawhide (1960) is remembered as the show that started the long and illustrious career of Clint Eastwood. After all, his appearance in this Western-themed show would eventually lead to his participation in the classic Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns as The Man With No Name. From there he would start directing and then eventually become the Academy Award winning talent that he is today. it's a very successful show in its own right, as illustrated by this release of Rawhide

Rawhide was always a fan favorite for those interested in the Western genre (and those old enough to have seen the show), and even today it is still a standout in the genre, with excellent direction, writing, and acting.

The series as a whole revolves around the cattle drives of the old west, but that simple premise leaves plenty of room for the writers to come up with tons of interesting stories, episode after episode. What's fascinating about Rawhide is the fact that it transcends its Western roots to become a full-fledged drama, and even social commentary at times. It's not all guns and hollering in this show, as there is actually a tremendous amount of character development and depth of emotion over the span of even half a season. The episodes themselves have entirely self-contained stories, but there is an over-flowing arc for the interrelationships between the different characters across the season.

The show is always well photographed, and oftentimes the cinematography is quite stunning. Long shots of the range show the beauty of the surrounding area, and the countless cattle and horses running around provide an epic scope that belies the lower budget of television shows of the time like Rawhide.

The theme song for Rawhide is so engrained in the cultural lexicon that I already knew it before ever watching the show and didn't even realize it. It's a classic western tune that most will probably recognize, and hearing it at the start of every episode ingratiates viewers to Rawhide's trademark charm.

Rawhide may look like a stereotypical western on the surface, but it actually has a lot more going on underneath in terms of plotting, themes, and characterization, which is what makes it a classic of the western genre that has stood the test of time. Even if you're not a fan of westerns I would suggest giving it a look, if not for all the strength behind the camera, then for Clint Eastwood and a fine ensemble cast of actors in front of it. And remember: Rollin' rollin' rollin', keep movin' movin' movin'.

Great news, Rawhide keeps rolling on despite the moaners attempting to stop us buying the sets. We appreciate full seasons are great, but any Rawhide is fantastic. Season 3 is excellent and Eric Fleming really gets under the skin of the Trail Boss, Gil Favor. Some great sombre episodes here. Charles Marquis Warren's last year as producer and it features some of the finest episodes. And yes, the drive really does reach Sedalia. Plus one of the greatest episodes ever- Incident of the Fish out of Water featuring Gil Favor returning to the home of his two daughters. A wonderfully, poignant episode. One tip search out a few other sites. You will find this set a few dollars cheaper.Get out there and ride again with the drovers of Rawhide.

Rawhide: Season Three, Vol. 1
In my opinion Rawhide was one of the three greatest westerns of all time right ahead of Bonanza but behind Gunsmoke. I got hooked on it when it used to be shown on the Hallmark Channel. The stories basically revolve around the cattle drive, the drovers, and their interactions with the different people they meet along the trail. The stories are very interesting and take us back to a time I wished I had lived in. Very well written show and the only one of its kind.

CBS Television and Paramount Pictures presents "RAWHIDE: SEASON THREE VOL. ONE" (30 September 1960 - 17 February 1961) (777 mins/In Glorious Black & White) (digitally remastered in Dolby) -- Rawhide was a television western series that aired on the U.S. network CBS from 1959 to 1966. The show starred Eric Fleming and launched the career of Clint Eastwood --- The series ran for eight seasons on the CBS network on Friday nights, from January 9, 1959 to January 4, 1966, with a total of 217 episodes, all filmed and broadcast in black and white --- It was produced and sometimes directed by Charles Marquis Warren who also produced early episodes of Gunsmoke --- Warren based Rawhide on the movie Cattle Empire that he directed in 1958 and for which Endre Bohem was a screenwriter and Paul Brinegar, Steve Raines and Rocky Shahan were actors; all also worked in Rawhide --- Its premiere episode reached the top 20 in the Nielsen Ratings. It rose steadily in popularity until, towards the end of the series run, it was one of America's top ten shows --- Rawhide was the fourth longest-running American TV western, beaten only by nine years of The Virginian and Wagon Train, fourteen years of Bonanza, and twenty years of Gunsmoke.

The episode would be introduced, usually by some words from Gil Favor but sometimes by others --- The typical Rawhide story involved drovers, portrayed by Eric Fleming (Trail Boss Gil Favor) and Clint Eastwood (ramrod Rowdy Yates), coming upon people on the trail and getting drawn into solving whatever problem they presented or were confronting --- Some of the stories were obviously easier in production terms but the peak form of the show was convincing and naturalistic, and sometimes brutal. Its situations could range from parched plains to anthrax, ghostly riders to wolves, cattle raiding, bandits, murderers, and so forth --- A problem on such drives was the constant need for water, and the scout spent much of his time looking for it, sometimes finding water holes, even rivers had dried up - In some ways it was similar to the TV series Wagon Train that debuted in 1957.

Of all the western characters on TV, these were the only real cowboys, because they drove cows. There were also sheep boys who drove sheep, pig boys who looked after pigs, etc. The name cowboys became a generic name in western films and TV series --- The theme song's lyrics were written by Ned Washington in 1958. It was composed by Dimitri Tiomkin and sung by pop singer Frankie Laine. The theme song became very popular --- It was covered several times and parts of the song also appear in more recent movies like The Blues Brothers and Shrek.-- (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

List of Season, Episode, Title and Original Air Date:

1. Season 3, Episode 1: Incident at Rojo Canyon (guest star Julie London)
Original Air Date--30 September 1960

2. Season 3, Episode 2: Incident of the Challenge
Original Air Date--14 October 1960

3. Season 3, Episode 3: Incident at Dragoon Crossing
Original Air Date--21 October 1960

4. Season 3, Episode 4: Incident of the Night Visitor (guest star Dane Clark)
Original Air Date--4 November 1960

5. Season 3, Episode 5: Incident of the Slavemaster (guest stars Peter Lorre & John Agar)
Original Air Date--11 November 1960

6. Season 3, Episode 6: Incident on the Road to Yesterday (guest stars Frankie Laine & Chester Morris)
Original Air Date--18 November 1960

7. Season 3, Episode 7: Incident at Superstition Prairie
Original Air Date--2 December 1960

8. Season 3, Episode 8: Incident at Poco Tiempo (guest star Agnes Moorehead)
Original Air Date--9 December 1960

9. Season 3, Episode 9: Incident of the Captive (guest star Mercedes McCambridge)
Original Air Date--16 December 1960

10.Season 3, Episode 10: Incident of the Buffalo Soldier (guest star Woody Strode)
Original Air Date--6 January 1961

11.Season 3, Episode 11: Incident of the Broken Word (guest stars E.G. Marshall & Dick York)
Original Air Date--20 January 1961

12.Season 3, Episode 12: Incident at the Top of the World (guest star Robert Culp)
Original Air Date--27 January 1961

13.Season 3, Episode 13: Incident Near the Promised Land (guest star Mary Astor)
Original Air Date--13 February 1961

14.Season 3, Episode 14: Incident of the Big Blowout
Original Air Date--10 February 1961

15.Season 3, Episode 15: Incident of the Fish Out of Water
Original Air Date--17 February 1961

BIOS:
1. Eric Fleming (aka: Edward Heddy)
Date of Birth:: 4 July 1925 - Santa Paula, California
Date of Death: 28 September 1966 - Tingo Maria area, Peru (drowned)

2. Clint Eastwood
Date of Birth: 31 May 1930 - San Francisco, California
Date of Death: Still Living

Great job by Paramount Pictures and their staff for releasing this long awaited edition with collectible Seasons with unforgettable episodes --- looking forward to more of the same from the rousing CBS Television vintage era --- order your copy now from Amazon their Western Classics -- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 777 mins on 4 DVD's ~ Paramount Pictures ~ (05/27/2008)

Head'em up Move them out, top show with great cast and in this dvd set some yop special guest stars appear on it. keep these dvd's coming of Rawhide i hope they will bring out the whole complete series out soon!!

I've been rationing the last of the season 2, volume 2 episodes so that season 3, volume 1 would arrive without a gap in viewing. A faster release schedule would be appreciated, as these Rawhides are like candy, and a half season can be consumed in no time.

I don't know what to say, that has not already been said. You get 15 great episodes. Plus, in this third season Vol.1, you get Gil Favor (the trail boss), Rowdy Yates (the ramrod), and Pete Nolan (the trail scout), plus Wishbone, Quince, Mushy, and the rest of the cowboys of Rawhide. These are good cowboys, They do the right thing, and are always willing to help someone if they can. Plus, they stand up againt injustice. Plus, they do all this extra stuff, while they are herding their cattle, up to market in Sedalia, Missouri. Thanks!!!!

Well pardners I don't have to tell you the true believers that this is a great season of a great show! Because dag nabbit you know it already you jaspers!...LOL

My favorite eps in this set are...

Season 3, Episode 5: Incident of the Slavemaster (Peter Lorre as the mad slave owner of Union prisoners! Priceless!)

Season 3, Episode 8: Incident at Poco Tiempo (The best ep here in my opinion that centers on Rowdy and Quince. Beautifully done and I fell in love with the saloon girl!...LOL)


Season 3, Episode 10: Incident of the Buffalo Soldier (Woody Strode as the ornery black soldier who just can't get past the chip on his soldier...Or does he?)

Season 3, Episode 13: Incident Near the Promised Land (Sedalia at last! But can we sell the beeves??)

Season 3, Episode 14: Incident of the Big Blowout (Let's hit the town boys!)

Season 3, Episode 15: Incident of the Fish Out of Water (Back east we go with Gil and Pete and Wishbone to see the Boss's daughters!)

I will get the entire series. This is not one of those shows that when you watch them you wonder why you ever enjoyed it the first time.

The Rawhide experience deepens a little bit with each passing episode, I am thoroughly enjoying each & every one. By the end of each 1/2 season volume, I find myself anxiously anticipating the release of the next volume, for my Rawhide "fix".

Keep these seasons coming, I'm buying every one! :D